Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh, a Home to Ancient Ruins

Ambikapur is a city in Surguja district, in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh.
It is the district headquarters of Surguja and also a prominent destination for tourist, archaeologists and historians, as several excavations at this place has resulted in findings of various ruined temples and tanks, which date back to the era even before Christ. Besides these, the place is also popular for its heavy production and distribution of coal.

 

Attractions

Ramgarh and Sita-Bengra- Ramgarh and Sita-Bengra are the two sacred spots that are located in the northern part of the Surguja district. It is believed that at these two spots, Lord Rama and his wife spent their period of 14 years in exile. These places have caves, in front of which you will find round rock-cut benches that have been arranged in terraces. 

Tattapani- It is a hot water spring, which is located in the north-eastern part of Ambikapur. The hot water spring is known to cure various skin diseases and it flows with the same force and quantity all round the year. 

Jogimara Caves- These caves date back to 300 BC and are featured with interesting paintings of human beings, animals, birds and flowers. These paintings found inside the caves are painted on the white base plaster with a red outline. At the inner most part of these caves, you will find around 7 diverse paintings of elephant figures and fish. Another special feature about the Jogimara caves are the inscriptions found in them, which are regarded as the first messages of love in the world. These inscriptions reveal the passionate love story between Devadutta and Sutnuka. 

Deepadih- It is a renowned village of the region. It is famous for the few ruined temples and tanks located at a distance of about 1.5 km from this place. The place was said to have been ruled by Samni Singh, a Dravidian king, who was killed in a battle with Tanginath. There is a large stone image close to the ruins of the temple, which resembles Samni Singh. Another interesting feature of this place is the primeval pillars, which are carved with the pictures of Gods and Goddesses. 

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit the place is during the winters, which falls during the months of October to March.

Accommodation

Staying will not be a problem at this place, as it is dotted with a considerable number of budget and mid-budget hotels that provide standard services to their guests. The price of these hotels varies according to the amenities offered by them.

How to Reach

By Air: The nearest airport to this place is the Raipur airport, located at a distance of about 351 km. The airport is well linked with places like Ahmadabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore etc. Tourists can get bus and taxi service from the airport to get to the place.

By Train: Ambikapur Railway Station is well connected with various major cities like, Anuppur, Gwalior, Raipur, Bhopal, Katni and Jabalpur.

By Road: The place has a good network of roads that links it with various places in Chhattisgarh like Durg, Korba, Raipur, Raigarh, Bilaspur and Bhilai. Ambikapur receives daily bus services from places like Jharkhand (160 km), Varanasi (170 km) and Raipur (345 km).